Diet, nutrient levels linked to cognitive ability, brain shrinkage

Science Blog, Jan 12, 2012New research has found that elderly people with higher levels of several vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had better performance on mental acuity tests and less of the brain shrinkage typical of Alzheimer’s disease – while “junk food” diets produced just the opposite result.

The study was among the first of its type to specifically measure a wide range of blood nutrient levels instead of basing findings on less precise data such as food questionnaires. It found positive effects of high levels of vitamins B, C, D, E and the healthy oils most commonly found in fish.The research was done by scientists from the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Ore., and the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. It was published today in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.Full story